ABB, the leading power and automation technology group, has won orders worth about $42 million from Sonelgaz (Socièté Nationale de l'Electricité et du Gaz), the national power utility of Algeria, to build three new substations and upgrade four existing ones in the northern region of the country.
One of the new substations will power a solar panel factory that is being built close to the capital, Algiers, while the replacement of two power transformers at an existing substation will support the doubling of its power capacity. As part of the turnkey project, ABB is responsible for the design, engineering, supply, build-up and commissioning of the substations, including civil works. The project is expected to be completed by 2013.
“The new substations and the upgrades will significantly enhance distribution capacity and help meet growing industrial and residential demand for electricity in the country,” said Peter Leupp, head of ABB’s Power Systems division. "The technologies deployed will also help strengthen grid reliability and improve power stability in the region.”
Some of the main products to be supplied include power transformers, high- and medium-voltage air- and gas-insulated switchgear, instrument transformers, surge arresters as well as auxiliary and telecommunications systems. ABB will also install substation automation systems compliant with the global IEC 61850 communications standard and fitted with the latest protection and control equipment.
Substations are key installations in the power grid that facilitate the efficient transmission and distribution of electricity. They include equipment that protects and controls the flow of electrical power. ABB is the world’s leading supplier of air- and gas-insulated substations covering a range of voltage levels up to 1,100 kilovolt.
ABB (www.abb.com) is a leader in power and automation technologies that enable utility and industry customers to improve performance while lowering environmental impact. The ABB Group of companies operates in around 100 countries and employs about 124,000 people.